The Only Achievement that Matters in The Stanley Parable

I have played the game (like many others) recently (also like many others). I have gotten a few endings: the Third Person Ending, the Jump Ending, the Self-Power Ending, the Freedom Ending, the White Board Ending, the Confusion Ending, the Please Die Ending, and the Escape Ending. There are more. These are my thoughts, along with a spoiled story (or at least one in progress).

The first Ending I got was the Third Person Ending (“wrong” choices until it’s too late). I was so confused and powerless; it’s the one where you sit there and watch Stanley [you] from the room. It was shocking. It was particularly fun, too.

The Escape Ending (with The Alternate Narrator) hammered the whole thing home for me. I got hints of what I think the main message of the game is along the way, but the Escape Ending really sealed the argument for me. I think that The Stanley Parable was an excellent critique of gaming in general. It shows the pointlessness of it all, from the very first time that you start the game through to the End. The Please Die Ending (your apartment) reinforced the intro, which I had first experienced, and then The Escape Ending sort of brought the thing full circle.

The game continually only tells you to do two things: either follow the story or quit. I found that very, very interesting. If you follow the story straight through you have a very quick experience. I think that the goal is 4:22. The Escape Ending, though, implores you to simply quit. It’s poetic. I think that it points toward the only achievement that will let you win: Go Outside.

Anyway, if there’s any part of the dialog that you want, I will go back through to quote it if you’re interested. It proceeds after walking you through an in-game museum of the game.

I loved it. Again, if you’re interested in any part of it, I can either go back through to draw out a quote, or hint you through it (with as much or as little hand-holding as you would like) if you own the game yourself, or figure out how to post a YouTube video of it. Let me know in the comments.